NCAA Men's Lacrosse 2011 Handbook: DI Tournament Selection Criteria

The men’s lacrosse committee will select and seed teams based on the criteria listed in Bylaw 31.3.3:

won-lost record

strength of schedule

eligibility and availability of student-athletes

When evaluationg teams’ won-lost records and strength of schedule, the committee will have received approval from the NCAA Division I Championships/Sports Management Cabinet to use the Rating Percentage Index (RPI) as compiled by the NCAA (25% the institution’s winning percentage; 50% opponents’ success; 25% opponents’ strength of schedule). The lacrosse committee will review the following primary factors in selecting at-large teams for the field (not in priority order):

Primary Criteria

• Strength of schedule index [based on a team’s 10 highest-rated contests; (2 games against the same opponent will count
as two contests)].

• Significant wins and losses. (wins against teams ranked higher in the RPI and losses against teams ranked lower in the RPI).

• Locations of contests.

Additionally, input is provided by regional advisory committees for consideration by the Division I Men’s Lacrosse committee. Coaches’ polls and/or any other outside polls or rankings are not used as a selection criterion by the committee for selection purposes.

The top eight teams will be seeded and separated in the bracket, the remaining eight teams will be placed geographically. In making bracket assignments, the closest geographical consideration will be used as well as the ability to separate conference opponents during first round competition.